Choose the Right Foods to Avoid a Gout Attack

Seems as if we just get over the health threats from one holiday season and then the next one is right upon us. Valentine’s Day will soon be here—in fact, the stores are flooded with hearts and red and pink displays already. If the excesses of last month had you writhing with pain from gout in your big toe, you want to know what foods for gout are best, and what you should avoid so you can head off another attack.

You need to avoid those high in purines that produce uric acid, which for some reason your body can’t handle well. Here are some tips:

• Beer is bad – there is something in it that your body reacts badly to. It may be better to have just a little wine.
• Beef, pork, lamb and some fish and shellfish contain high levels of purines. Stick with white poultry, legumes, or tofu products instead.
• Certain vegetables (e.g. spinach, peas, and asparagus), mushrooms, and some legumes like garbanzo beans can trigger an attack.
• Fruits like apples, peaches, pears, dates, and grapes have lots of fructose, which seems to increase gout symptoms. These should be eaten in moderation, and high-fructose sweetened drinks should be avoided completely.
• Dairy products may actually help with your gout symptoms—as long as they are low-fat. Whole milk products are a different story and probably best avoided.

This gives you some idea of what foods could set off a painful gout attack. That doesn’t mean you couldn’t try a sumptuous, small piece of dark chocolate with strawberries for a Valentine’s dessert, but the saturated fat in a king-size milk chocolate bar might not be a good idea. Choosing the right foods for gout could ease your journey through risky holidays.

Whatever you do, make sure you eat complex carbohydrates and drink lots of water. The first helps you digest fats properly to avoid uric acid spikes, and the second helps rid your body of excess toxins.